Uber to roll out safety features in Middle East, Africa and Europe

The ride hailer is to bring in safety features that are already in place elsewhere. Reuters

Uber Technologies is to connect passengers and drivers directly to emergency services in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa as part of a wider roll-out of largely existing safety features over the next few weeks.

The ride-hailing company, which plans to go public next year and could be valued at $120 billion according to a Wall Street Journal report, said the safety features would be gradually introduced on its app in 23 European countries, including the United Kingdom, and in other markets such as Saudi Arabia.

Under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber has juggled investing in new markets, building up services such as food delivery and freight, as well as repairing its relationships with investors and revamping its image after a series of controversies, including clampdowns by regulators around the world.